Waterfront Woes Washed Away: Hamilton Harbour Bounces Back from Algae Nightmare

In the summer of 2025, Hamilton's waterfront has seen a significant improvement in its water quality compared to the previous year. In 2024, the area was plagued by an extreme algae bloom and subsequent rot, making it difficult for many residents to enjoy the waterfront. However, this year has been a different story.

According to Katelyn Bruckner, a local resident, the waterfront has been much more pleasant to visit in 2025. She notes that after avoiding the area for weeks last summer due to the "sour egg" stench, it has been nice to be able to use the waterfront throughout the entire season without a similar occurrence.

Officials attribute the change to a combination of factors, including milder rainfall patterns and colder winter temperatures. Cari Vanderperk, the director of watershed management for Hamilton Water, explains that the intense rainstorms in 2024 overwhelmed the city's ability to absorb the water, leading to large amounts of nutrient-rich runoff that fueled the algae growth. In contrast, the spring of 2025 saw less intense rainfall, and the previous winter's cold temperatures likely played a role in keeping the algae at bay.

Jennifer Bowman, a senior aquatic ecologist at the Royal Botanical Gardens, also notes that this year has been a great one for the natural vegetation in Cootes Paradise, with submergent plant life flourishing due to the improved water quality.

While some pockets of the harbour still show signs of algae, the overall situation has been much more manageable in 2025, allowing residents like Bruckner and Larry Tagart to once again enjoy the waterfront without the unpleasant odors of the previous year.